The Colts Neck First Aid Squad is a volunteer organization
providing 24 hour/day, 365 days/year basic life support services to the community and, on a
mutual aid basis, to N.W.S. Earle and surrounding communities. The Squad participates in a
Mutual Aid and Disaster Management System with neighboring communities to augment each others
capabilities to meet emergency needs. The Squad is a member of the New Jersey First Aid Council,
and operates under the rules and directives of the New Jersey Department of Health. The Squad is
financed 85% by fundraising in the community and 15% by municipal funds.
The Colts Neck First Aid Squad's services include:
- Responding to 911 Emergencies to the Ill and Injured and providing Emergency Medical Care and transport to the appropriate hospital
- Maintaining 2 ambulances and 1 rescue/ambulance. The squad is dispatched by Monmouth County EMS 911 Center in Freehold.
- Recruit and train volunteer personnel.
- Purchase and maintain vehicles, equipment and supplies.
- Provide First Aid coverage for Township functions such as the fair, july 4th, memorial day parade,and football games .
- Participate in the Mutual Aid System.
- Educate the community in basic First Aid techniques such as CPR.
- Sponsor First Aid Cadet Program for teenagers.
- Participate in county and state First Aid Councils.
- Equipping and maintaining the first aid building as an evacuation shelter for residents of the community.
The First Aid Squad is organized with a dual management structure including an Executive Committee (president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary) and an Operational Committee including a captain, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, and engineer and training officer.
The First Aid Squad is staffed exclusively by volunteer members from Colts Neck. The 2006 membership totaled 43 including , 34 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) , and 9 drivers only.
Since 1986 the membership of the First Aid Squad has varied from a high of 43 to a low of 24 in 1990. However, there is regular turnover and a pressing need for daytime responders.
Recruiting of dedicated volunteers is, at best, a difficult task. Due to changing life styles, with both spouses working, recruiting daytime volunteers is especially slow.
Although the numbers below reflect a decrease in overall call volume, the demand on the Squad has increased gradually in recent years:
| |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
| First Aid Calls |
715 |
652 |
696 |
| Fire Calls |
9 |
4 |
1 |
| Injury |
153 |
164 |
147 |
| Medical |
342 |
313 |
312 |
| M.V.A.s |
136 |
104 |
142 |
| Transport |
28 |
13 |
7 |
| Mutual Aid |
94 |
90 |
49 |
| MICU |
246 |
206 |
221 |
| Other |
47 |
249 |
78 |
| Weekday 6-6 |
348 |
322 |
347 |
| Night/Wknd/Hol |
367 |
330 |
349 |
The Squad has two 1999 ambulances and a 1998 rescue/ambulance. The three units can carry a total of 6 patients and are all fully equipped according to NJ State First Aid Council and NJ Department of Health guidelines. In addition, the rescue unit carries multiple "jaws of life", airbags capable of lifting 52,000 pounds, power saws, hydraulic rams, cutters and other rescue equipment, as well as six 500 watt floodlights, powered by a 8500 watt diesel generator.
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